TOOL
Fret leveling file
Makes every fret the same height, then gives the crown back.
| Length | 300 – 400 mm for consistent flatness |
|---|---|
| Flatness | Verified flat; a bowed file levels a bowed board |
| Abrasive | Diamond or cut file, 300 – 600 grit equivalent |
| Support | Must be used with the neck straight, not under tension |
| Follow-up tools | Fret crowning file, polishing papers |
| Marker | A felt-tip marker shows which frets have been touched |
| Neck state | Truss rod adjusted until the board is dead straight |
|---|---|
| Strokes | Even, full-length, alternating direction |
| Check | Straightedge across three frets at a time |
| Removal limit | Do not take a fret below its minimum crown height |
| Crowning | Restore a rounded crown after leveling |
| Price band | Moderate |
After the frets are seated they are never perfectly level, and leveling is what makes the guitar play cleanly up the neck. A leveling file — a long, flat, rigid abrasive bar — is drawn along the tops of the frets to bring them all down to a single plane.
Leveling flattens the crown, so it has to be followed by crowning and polishing. Skipping the crown leaves a wide, flat fret top that buzzes and feels wrong; skipping the polish leaves scratches the strings grind against.
At this stage
Level with the neck dead straight and the strings off. A neck that is curved when you level will be wrong the moment the truss rod is set.
Suits these instruments
- All fretted instruments
Works with
- Fret wire
- Notched straightedge
- Fret crowning file
- Truss rod
- Fret filings are sharp metal swarf. Brush them away with a brush, not a hand, and keep them out of the finish.
- A leveling file is a long, heavy abrasive bar. Support the neck so it cannot rock.
Working notes
- Mark every fret crown with a marker first — you can see exactly what you removed.
- A little water or a light oil on a diamond file stops it clogging.
- Check with a straightedge every few strokes rather than at the end.
- Crowning is not optional. A flat-topped fret intonates poorly and buzzes.
Related
Fret wire
Nickel silver or stainless, and the crown shape decides the feel.
Fret slotting saw
One saw, one kerf, no second chances.
Fret press
Seats a fret evenly instead of hammering it in.
Nut file set
The slot depth sets the action at the first fret.